One of the most creative German players of Turkish descent, Mesut Ozil on Wednesday announced his retirement from professional football in a career that was laden with trophies, individual accolades and a few downsides.
The left footed star was a member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side in 2014 and is calling time on his career at the age of 34.
Ozil retired from the national squad in 2018 amid a political debate in Germany about an influx of migrants and refugees and after a backlash over a photograph taken with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, saying he faced “racism and disrespect” over his
Turkish ancestry.
“I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football. I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity,” Ozil said in a statement on his social media accounts on Wednesday.
“But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it’s become more and more clear that it’s time to leave the big stage of football.”
Ozil thanked his fans who have “shown him so much love no matter the circumstances and which club I was representing.”
“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” Ozil said at the time of his departure from the German national team.
Ozil started his career in Germany with his home town club Schalke before a good spell at Werder Bremen earned him a spot on the German national team.
Standout performances for Germany at the 2010 World Cup were followed by a move to Real Madrid. He then had an eight-year stint with Arsenal.
Ozil moved Turkish club Fenerbahce in 2021 after his relationship with Arsenal broke down. He was left out of the Arsenal squad for months before his departure following a rift with manager Mikel Arteta.
Izuchukwu OkosiIzuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.